Sweet Tooth
by pwoutagonist
Summary: AU, Eren as a patisserie and Rivaille actually has a sweet tooth. Enjoy! LIME to come.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! I'm filling another prompt from xryuchan27 on tumblr! AU, Eren as a patisserie and Rivaille actually has a sweet tooth. Hope you enjoy this rendition! LIME to come! :D**

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"Are you going home, Rivaille?" Turning to her partner, Hanji watched as the man stripped his uniform off, hanging it in the locker. He turned around, giving her a sharp glare.

"Yeah. Might stop by to grabs some sweets." Hanji blinked. "I saw this new place downtown." The woman's eyes lit up.

"You don't mean Maria's, do you?" The man blinked, nodding slowly. Was everything about his life not private anymore? "Oh, great! I hope you find what you're looking for there." She chimed before twirling her away out of the lockers and out the door, sending her partner a cheery goodbye.

Rivaille cursed under his breath. Every since five years ago, the woman was always pestering him about the best foods in town. She seemed to know anything and everything about the best local places to go in the city that "were sure to make your taste buds soar!" but the man knew better. Hanji was just being considerate, in her own way.

No matter what she did, it was all futile. Packing up his things, making sure he was decent to walk in public, he left the police station where he worked. Rivaille took the train downtown, searching the streets mindlessly. He was in no rush; it was still only 7 and he had no family waiting for him to come back in the small, slightly cramped apartment.

After a half hour of walking through the streets, he found the place he was looking for. They claimed to have "the sweetest stuff in town" and the male was willing to put that to the test. Although part of him already knew the outcome and was trying to tell him that it was futile, he still clung to hope like a newborn baby onto his mother's breast.

The door chimed as he walked inside, the smell of fresh-baked goods filling his nose. The place was very clean and white. Rivaille smiled. The bakery case held various sweet cakes and desserts, and he was dying to see if any of them could spark his mood. No one was in sight, so he walked over to the counter and tapped the bell.

Withing seconds, a cheery voice called from the back of the shop. Then when the door opened, he was a met with a face he didn't think he would ever, in a million years, meet in a place like this. "You're…"

Green eyes widened in surprise, his smile as bright as the crisp clean walls. "Rivaille! I haven't seen you in a while!" The young man cheered happily, cheeks tinted pink with happiness. The man groaned a little.

"But we saw each other this morning. Like usual. Every single day." The boy nodded, happily.

"I know! That was such a long time ago!" The brunette whined, leaning over the counter with a new found happiness. "But even so, I'm surprised to see you here! I always thought you were into spicy foods." The young man smiled. "Who knew you had a sweet tooth?"

Cursing lightly, the man glanced over at the cakes, carefully deciding which one would be the sweetest. Then his eyes roamed over one in particular. _That's unique…sounds sweet enough._ "Are you going to sell me a cake or not, Eren?" The young man didn't even notice his anger and urgency, only happy that his name was called.

"Of course! What kind of dessert would you like? Our special today is a oatmeal-crusted pie with a strawberry and rhubarb filling, topped with a light lemon meringue and crushed praline." Eren smiled.

Rivaille thought for a moment. "I'll have that. As well as…" His eyes glanced at the glass case one more time. "The marshmallow cake." Eren nodded, grabbing some decorated boxes before scurrying over to the glass case. He pulled the two desserts out, placing them in their boxes. He wrapped them with a bow and placed them in a bag.

"Alright, is that all?" Eren asked, eyes shining a bit. Rivaille stared.

"I thought you were a grad student…do you work here part time?" Eren blinked again.

"No, I'm the head baker." Rivaille blinked.

"Eh? You made all of these?" Eren nodded happily.

"Yes! I come here early in the morning, do most of the cakes and let my assistants finish everything." He began, his eyes drifting to the ceiling. "Then I go to school and come back here when I'm done." To be honest, the schedule sounded exhausting, but with a young kid like him, he couldn't put it past him. Rivaille always found it strange that they would always leave their houses at the same time. He assumed the student had early classes or liked to study in the morning. But to think he was essentially running his own bakery? He was…slightly impressed. Only slightly.

"That sounds exhausting." He remarked, fishing out a bill to pay for his cakes. Eren shook his head.

"Not nearly as much as your job! I mean, you're _always _on call in case something bad happens, right?" The older male nodded. "That's got to be tiring! For me, baking is something I love. It brings me joy to see customers enjoy the cakes that I put all of my effort in to. It just makes me want to make every single dessert in the world, and make some of my own!" The young man said sincerely. He looked up at the older man. "Does being a police officer bring joy to you, Rivaille?"

It took a second for the man to respond as he took the paper bag in his hands, trying to give a good answer. "If it means I get to save lives and bring justice to those who deserve it, then yes. It…does give me joy." Eren's eyes lit up.

"I never knew you had a soft side, Rivaille! The other neighbors always say you're rude and harsh, but…" A small hint of red spread across his cheeks. "I knew there was something special about you."

_Badump._

They stood there, albeit a little awkwardly, in silence. Rivaille took a deep breath, and tried his best to smile. "See you tomorrow morning, Eren?" The baker nodded. Before Eren respond, he left the bakery, walking a bit quickly to the train station.

_Badump_.

Who knew his neighbor had such a passion that he didn't even know about? They've lived next to each other for years, but they didn't talk much. Rivaille was always busy with police work and Eren was busy with not only school, but managing his own bakery at the same time.

But maybe, just maybe, things were changing for the better.

Rivaille clung onto his bag of cakes tightly.


	2. Taste

Locking the door behind him, he staggered slightly as he slipped his shoes off and into his living room. Carefully setting the cakes he had bought previously from the new bakery in town down, the police officer sat on the floor with a sigh, pulling his knees a little close to his chest. Rivaille leaned his head between his knees, taking deep breaths.

He'd never expect to meet his neighbor there at all times. Living so close, he thought he knew almost everything about the student. But there was still so much more he didn't know about. And for some strange reason that he couldn't quite understand, he wanted to know everything about the quirky, bright kid.

Rivaille stared at the cakes, which were still inside the bag on his table. After a minute or two he pulled the first one out. The strawberry and…something pie. Taking the fork that was tucked inside the bag, he opened it. It sure smelled amazing…he only hoped it taste just the same.

Or any taste at all.

First tackling the top of the pie, he dipped his fork in and let the foamy cream (he forgot what it was called) and let it melt on his tongue. There was something acidic there, but other than, nothing. As usual. He mindlessly ate the rest of the topping before reaching the red filling. Rivaille dipped his fork in, getting a slice of fresh berry into his mouth. It tasted nice…

_Wait…_

He took another bite. It was very subtle, but he could taste _something. _Was that sweetness? What was this unfamiliar yet inviting sensation? Hungrily he kept eating the filling, tasting that sensation he longed for long ago. It was like diving into his past, eating fruity candies as a child. And just as fast as the very faint sweetness had come, his dessert was gone. But luckily, he had one more.

In a sort of frenzy, he pulled the next box out, opening it wide. _Marshmallow cake, huh?_ With a tiny bit of hope fluttering restlessly in his chest, he sliced his fork in it, letting a piece of white cake sit on his fork. _Here goes…_ The cake was…was…

"Sweet…it tastes sweet." His eyes widened as he started at the cake. How could it taste so sweet when he…Rivaille's mind strayed far from the fact and focused purely on the cake in front of him. Slowly he ate it, savoring the sweetness. It was…something he missed. Even after all of these years of coming to accept reality…his heart still yearned for this. For the first time in twenty years, he could taste something so delicious again.

There were footsteps outside of his door and he jumped off the floor, scrambling for the door. _Please let me make it._ Throwing his door open, he turned his head towards where his neighbor was. Bright green eyes met his own.

"Oh, Rivaille-san! Did we come home at the same time?"

"Oi, Jaeger." The young man blinked, one hand on the door to his own apartment. Rivaille tried to catch his breath.

"Will you show me…how you make your cakes?"

One…two…three seconds passed. A bright smile spread on the brunette's lips.

"If you're interested, I'll show you right now."

Three…four…five seconds passed.

"I'll…be right over." The man disappeared back in his room again, leaning against the door. His heart was racing. He couldn't believe that _his_ cakes were able to taste so sweet. Rivaille tried so many foods from extremely sweet to extremely spicy. He once won an award for eating the most ghost peppers in one sitting. But no matter how sweet, tangy, acidic, or delicious anything was, he couldn't taste it.

For twenty years he lived with it, eating tasteless foods and feeling like puking the next minute. He hoped that someone would have the food he was looking for. But he was not a patient man, and twenty years was a bit too long. However, with that bite of cake from the other, he suddenly felt a ray of hope shine in his chest.

Perhaps, things were changing. For the better.

A smile spread across his lips.

Rivaille sure would like that.


	3. Feel

"Powdered…sugar?" Rivaille blinked as he looked through the student's cabinets, which were very neatly organized unlike the rest of his space. His bed sheets were crumpled and clothes littered the floor, but his kitchen was pristine. The messy room he expected, especially for a student and a young adult, but the kitchen not so much. Grabbing the container of white powder, he set it on the counter next to the brunette.

Peering into the mixing bowl, he saw there were two eggs…some brown stuff…and flour. "What's the brown liquid?" Eren turned to the shorter male with a smile, waving a small glass bottle in front of him.

"Pure vanilla extract. If you ever make cakes, make sure you have pure vanilla, not the fake stuff." He instructed the other male, grabbing a whisk and mixing everything together. The shirt the student was wearing was cut off a little at the sleeves, showing long, lean muscles. Rivaille took a deep breath.

Watching the baker work in his element was pretty amazing. He was so focused on every little thing he was doing, making sure everything looked and tasted like perfection. "Then, this is where the marshmallow comes in." Eren spoke, going into his fridge and pulling out another glass bottle. The older male blinked. "Marshmallow extract. This one is homemade and it's a bit tricky to make, but…" The student grabbed a syringe and stuck the needle into the bottle. "I stick this into the cake after it's done baking, and it gives the cake a marshmallow taste.

Eren reached behind him and pulled the small cakes out of the oven and set them aside. "They're a bit too warm, but in a few minutes they'll be ready." He reassured the older male with a smile, putting the bottle and syringe down. "How was that? Do you think you can bake now, Rivaille-san?" The older man stared and shook his head, making the young man laugh.

"I don't cook…I can barely make coffee in the morning." The policeman admitted, leaning his back against the counter tops. "Is that funny, Jaeger?" His glare aimed right at the other, Eren squeaked slightly.

"No, of course not. I just assumed you were good at cooking…" The brunette confessed, turning his head to the side a little. After a bit of awkward silence, the student grabbed the cakes which looked perfectly golden brown in their little ramekins. "Now for the marshmallow!" Eren said with a smile, grabbing the syringe and injected the liquid into the cake. "I found that baking the cake with the extract lost a lot of the flavor, so I decided to infuse it after baking. It makes the cake much sweeter." He explained as he finished putting the liquid in both of the cakes.

Then the two males moved to the bar chairs, cakes in hand. Eren gave them both forks and they both dug into the freshly made cakes. In the back of the man's mind, he was hoping that what he had tasted back in his room was just a figment of his imagination. There was no way that this whole experience could be real…but when his tongue caressed the bit of marshmallow cake, he could _taste_ it again.

"I've never seen someone react in such a good way to my cakes before, Rivaille-san." The student chimed happily, quietly eating the dessert in front of him. The older male hesitated, eyes gazing directly at the cake. Should he…tell the kid why he was so surprised? Should he tell him why he always ate spicy food because no matter how amazing the dish tasted, it was all bland and slightly inedible? Should he tell him that he buys the sweetest desserts just to see of maybe, he could detect a hint of anything that wasn't just mush?

Perhaps it was more for their relationship? They were merely neighbors…acquaintances. Was it too much to reveal what he's been suffering with for twenty years? The brunette's bright green eyes were sparkling, like a puppy. He looked so happy just to be together, eating cakes. Maybe it would be okay…

"I…" Rivaille took a deep breath. "I have a disorder, or so I thought." The sparkle in the other's eyes was gone, replaced with concern. The older male cringed. _I don't need a pity party._ "When I was 8, I had a terrible flu. I was given antibiotics, so I was supposed to recover within a week or more. But there was a mix-up with the medicine I received and the actual medication I was supposed to receive. I didn't think it was a big deal at first, but once I recovered, I…" He trailed off just a little. "I couldn't taste anymore." Eren's eyes went wide.

"You…couldn't…taste?" The older male shook his head. "Were you able to eat? How did you live?!" The man smiled.

"Yes, I can eat, but it…doesn't taste like anything." Eren was about to say something, but the older man cut him off. "But today…when I ate your cakes…I…" He trailed off, biting his lip. It was a bit strange to be confessing this to his neighbor, but if this was not a dream, then maybe the brunette could help him. "For the first time in twenty years, I could taste again…"

Another longer silence stretched between them, neither knowing what to say next. Rivaille felt like an emotional wreck, and it didn't bode well with him. His parents died at an early age, and he grew up not having friends. He was essentially alone in the world, with no one to talk to. But now that he spilled his secret to his neighbor, who he barely knew, it felt strange that another person knew the one thing he hated about himself (he had a similar reaction when Hanji found out "by accident").

"My cakes…you could taste them?" Rivaille nodded, taking another bite. Slowly he chewed on the cake, letting the flavor settle on his tongue. It was…almost foreign to him. It reminded him of his childhood, where everything didn't matter and life was carefree. But eventually he had threw away that mindset. All he could feel on his tongue was mush, day in and day out. Sometimes, with extremely spicy foods, he could taste the tiniest of flavors. But he'd often mistake it for just a tingling sensation. Sour foods didn't taste like anything, and sometimes the super sweet foods sent a shiver up his spine. But they were extreme sides on the spectrum. He couldn't just order a turkey sandwich with his favorite things because he didn't have a favorite food.

Instead he began eating for textures. He stayed away form oatmeal and crusted bread because they were not appealing. Noodles were okay…he enjoyed the feeling of slurping the thin pieces of dough. Chips were good because they were crunchy, and peanuts were a common snack on the job. He didn't understand doughnuts…they felt like nothing. Cotton candy was a treat; although he couldn't taste it, he liked the way it melted on his tongue. If he could find any, Pop Rocks were probably his favorite.

It had been so long that Rivaille forgot what sweet was. It was pleasant…something he wanted to eat every day. He looked over at Eren, who began to tear up. "Oi, Eren! Why are you crying?"

"Because, Rivaille-san…" The boy wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "All I've ever wanted to do was…to make people happy with my cakes…and for you…who suffered for so long…can taste because of…what I made…" He smiled brightly. "It means a lot to me!" The student smiled, turning to look at his cakes. "I'm so glad…" The older male nodded, trying his best to smile. He took another bite of the cake. Each time he bit into the sweetness, he had to reassure himself that what indeed what he was tasting was sweet and sugary delight.

"Then, from now on, I only want to taste your cakes…" Eren blushed. "If I'm starting to…taste again…then I need you to make this cake for me everyday…and then maybe…" Rivaille took a deep breath before looking into bright green eyes.

"I can remember what it feels like..to taste again."

Eren gasped.

Rivaille attempted to smile.

This wasn't a dream. It was reality.

There was hope.


End file.
